Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 252 Undercurrent

Chapter 252 Undercurrent
The gathering at Longtan Mountain was unprecedented in scale, with even a holy monk from Huadu Temple preaching and spreading Buddhist teachings.

The various places where we exchange ideas and preach are also valuable opportunities.

Song Yan naturally didn't want to miss out.

With only two days left until the selection, he ventured out of Bailu Cliff and explored various parts of the valley.

Near Bailu Cliff is a Yuntai Bookstore. Song Yan sat cross-legged, surrounded by dozens of cultivators from the late Qi Refining stage to the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Most of them are also quite young.

At the very front of the bookstore, a cultivator from the Sheyang Sect was giving a sermon. He had white hair and beard and was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

It's obvious at a glance that they are senior figures who were specially invited.

The old man possessed solid and profound cultivation, and the technique he practiced was the Wood Element Technique.

What he spoke of were not many earth-shattering secret techniques, but rather the subtleties of spiritual energy circulation, methods of mental cultivation for focusing the mind, and his experiences in breaking through minor obstacles.

His explanation was indeed profound yet easy to understand, like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, subtly influencing everything.

Song Yan listened intently, gaining many insights that corroborated some of the more difficult parts of the Tai Xu Hua Shu he was currently studying.

Many obscure concepts become clear and transparent after this point.

For many disciples of major sects, such opportunities actually exist within the sect itself.

However, it's a completely different story for independent cultivators.

That is why countless independent cultivators and cultivators from small sects are scrambling to get into the Dragon Pool Mountain Gathering.

This is a much higher platform than they usually have access to.

After the discussion, Song Yan planned to visit the Taoist temple dedicated to the art of self-cultivation.

To be honest, the mystery of the gold pages in that chess manual is still a mystery.

Although Xiao Ju was only at the Qi Refining stage, she felt she had gained a great deal from listening to the lecture given by the Foundation Establishment senior.

She respectfully apologized to Song Yan, received a nod from her master, and returned to her cave to continue her cultivation.

The training ground for the art of self-cultivation was located near a waterside pavilion.

The atmosphere here is elegant, with multiple venues for playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, and tea.

Song Yan casually found a quiet chessboard and sat down.

Most of the people who come here to play chess don't know each other.

Such a grand event, where strangers meet and find worthy opponents, is a great pleasure in itself.

Before long, a man sat down opposite him: "Fellow Daoist, how about a game of hand?"

The newcomer's voice was gentle and somewhat familiar, yet that familiarity felt strangely distant.

Song Yan looked up and was slightly surprised.

The young cultivator sitting opposite him wore a light blue Daoist robe and had a calm demeanor.

After a moment's thought, he remembered.

The person who came was Ke Huai, whom I had met once before at the Lingyuanze Night Market Barter Fair a few years ago.

If I remember correctly, this person should be a disciple of a small sect, the Ziyang Sect.

It is not far from Dongyuan Sect.

To Song Yan's surprise, the aura emanating from this person was also the spiritual pressure fluctuation of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Tong... or rather, Fellow Daoist Song, it's been a long time."

Song Yan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said with relief, "Fellow Daoist Ke."

Back in Lingyuanze Night Market, Song Yan wore a white wolf mask and called himself Tong Chuping.

Song Yan is now quite well-known among the younger generation of cultivators in the Chu Kingdom.

Ke Huai is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and with a little attention, he could actually detect Song Yan's identity.

Ke Huai is not a fool.

"I never expected to meet you here, and I never expected that you would have already established your Dao foundation."

If others heard this, they would probably mutter a few complaints to themselves.

If you yourself achieved foundational cultivation in your twenties, praising someone else in their thirties always sounds a bit sarcastic.

But Song Yan's surprise didn't seem fake.

Back in the night market, this person was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining. I never expected him to progress so rapidly in just a few years.

Ke Huai smiled gently, a hint of emotion in his eyes: "Since we parted at Lingyuanze, the world has changed so much, it feels like just yesterday."

"My meager skills are only due to the good fortune of being noticed by my elders, who bestowed upon me elixirs. I have made some progress through diligent practice."

The two made their moves while reminiscing about the past.

Back and forth, a peaceful state of mind.

For Song Yan and Ke Huai, this game of chess was a chance to cultivate their minds, reminisce about the past, and evoke many emotions.

However, for Snake Baby, who was lying on the side watching the game, it was extremely boring.

At first, it squatted down and looked around curiously, but soon it became restless, its eyes darting around looking for something new.

Take a look here and there.

He would also occasionally offer "guidance" on other people's chess games, which earned him a few inexplicable cold stares.

Just then, a pair of slender hands gently patted Xiao He's shoulder.

"Oh, little guy."

A cool yet familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Huh?" Xiao He turned around abruptly and saw who it was.

"Sister Bai!"

Bai Qi, dressed in white, appeared behind them at some unknown time, her figure ethereal, holding two scrolls in her arms.

She didn't resemble a snake demon at all; instead, she looked like a young fairy from some sect.

Perhaps that's why I was able to sneak into Longtan Mountain.

Xiao He stared at Bai Qi's figure, her face lighting up with surprise, before she looked down at her own short arms and legs...

When will I be as pretty as Sister Bai?

Bai Qi remained as aloof and ethereal as ever, looking at Xiao He with a smile that held a hint of helplessness and understanding.

She led Xiaohe to a secluded spot by the waterside pavilion.

Song Yan glanced sideways at the back of the woman in white, lost in thought.

But soon, his thoughts returned to the chessboard.

……

"Why is Sister Bai here? Won't she be arrested...?"

"I knew you would come here, so I came here specifically to find you, do you believe me?"

"I don't believe it." Xiao He shook her head.

Bai Qi smiled and said, "Demon cultivators often hide among rogue cultivators and have their own networks of relationships."

"I came here to invite a senior demon cultivator to join Shangtong Mountain, but unfortunately, I'm too late, he has already left."

"Oh."

Xiaohe didn't quite understand, but she wasn't interested, so she didn't ask any more questions.

"What about you?"

"You came here with that human named Song Yan again, didn't you?"

"correct."

Xiao He chuckled, revealing two small tiger teeth: "It's so lively here."

“You child… the path of cultivation is long. Following him in this small world of Chu will ultimately hinder your talent and spirituality.”

Bai Qi shook her head slightly.

She took a few steps closer, stretched out her hand again, and her fingertips were surrounded by a faint, enchanting aura that made Xiao He feel refreshed and relaxed.

"Xiao He, the mountains and seas are not just empty illusions. Come with me to Tong Mountain, gather our peers, and head to the Central Region to find the true paradise for our demon race."

"The world there is far beyond what we can compare to here. You have extraordinary talent and may have the bloodline of a great demon. Given time, your future is limitless."

"How have you been thinking these past few years?"

Her voice had a strange allure.

Xiao He blinked her bright eyes, a look of longing on her face, but then firmly shook her head.

"Hmm...no, thank you."

"Is it still because of that human?"

Bai Qi frowned slightly.

This young man named Song Yan is indeed quite talented; he has already laid a foundation for his Dao in just a few years.

But she had seen countless so-called "geniuses" like this, so it wasn't surprising to her.

The demon cultivators on Shangtong Mountain weren't very powerful, and she really didn't want to see such a good child like Xiaohe waste her demonic path.

Xiao He nodded.

"No matter how big the outside world is, without Yanyan..."

"Uh..." Snake Baby thought for a moment, and a look of fear and resistance appeared on its face.

"That would be too lonely." Her little face was full of seriousness, without the slightest wavering.

Bai Qi looked down at the stubborn yet pure little snake demon in front of her, without getting angry.

Instead, a hint of pity and a barely perceptible envy flickered in his eyes.

She asked, "Don't you want to go find your parents?"

"Forget it, they don't want me anyway."

When this was mentioned, Xiaohe didn't show any regret or sadness at all.

parents?

She had never seen him before; to her, he was a stranger.

Only those who raise you and are genuinely good to you can be called family.

Just like Grandpa.

I don't know why Grandpa chose the surname Xu for himself. Wouldn't it have been better if he had just taken Grandpa's surname like Yan Yan?

Bai Qi sighed softly.

She reached out and gently stroked Xiao He's hair, a gentle demonic energy flowing into Xiao He's body and nourishing her.

"Ok."

She withdrew her hand: "But you must promise your sister that you won't fall behind in your cultivation."

"Okay." Xiao He nodded obediently.

Bai Qi pinched She Bao's little face: "If you ever come to your senses, there will always be a place for you on Tongshan Mountain. Just come and find your sister then."

"Oh."

After Bai Qi finished speaking, he slowly left the place.

Xiao He stood there, touching her head. For some reason, her head felt cool and comfortable.

"Am I going to become smarter?"

She quickly put these complicated thoughts aside and skipped away towards the meditation center.

Just then, Song Yan and Ke Huai finished their game.

"Fellow Chess Player Song's chess skills are superb, and I admire him greatly."

"lucky."

For the two of them, winning or losing wasn't really that important.

"The selection process will begin in a few days. If we encounter each other, I hope Fellow Daoist Song will show mercy."

Ke Huai was also one of the cultivators who officially attended the meeting, occupying a seat from a minor sect.

It was getting late, so the two parted ways. Song Yan then took Xiao He back to his cave.

Speaking of which, since I stepped into Dragon Pool Mountain, apart from meeting Xu Ziqing once on the day I arrived, I haven't had a chance to meet any of the other Foundation Establishment senior brothers and sisters from the other sects.

In addition to this group of new generation disciples, there are also five Foundation Establishment disciples leading the team.

I had heard of some of their names before.

But we've never met.

Just as Song Yan was immersing himself in the cultivation of the Tai Xu Hua Shu, he finally received a communication jade slip on the eve of the selection.

Inside the cave, Song Yan reached out and grabbed the communication talisman suspended in the air, probing it with his divine sense.

“Song Yan, a disciple of the Dongyuan Sect, hurry to the Listening to Rain Pavilion at Bailu Cliff for a meeting. The selection is imminent, and there are important matters to discuss.”

"Zhang Guangyuan, the Foreign Affairs Elder of Dongyuan Sect."

Elder Zhang?
He had some impression of this elder; he held a high position and great power in charge of external affairs within the sect, and his cultivation level was also quite high.

He immediately got up, left the cave, and rushed towards where the elder was.

Li Yi and he arrived at almost the same time.

This place is located at a higher elevation and is more secluded, far away from the bustling Diequanfang.

Upon entering the cave, one sees all the cultivators and disciples who have officially participated in the event gathered there.

Of the five Foundation Establishment disciples leading the group, apart from Xu Ziqing and Qin Ying, the other three were unfamiliar to Song Yan.

There were two senior brothers and one senior sister.

Xiang Zhaoling had already returned from the southern border. She sat on a stone chair, her two slender legs swinging restlessly, playing with a strange little insect that was entirely green in her hand.

Song Yan was deeply puzzled.

Xiang Zhaoling is a genius with a single fire spiritual root, known as the "Heavenly Spiritual Root".

Why is it that even now, the foundation has not yet been established...?

Upon seeing Li Yi and Song Yan arrive together, everyone greeted them.

Zhang Guangyuan's gaze slowly swept over Song Yan and Li Yi, who arrived last, and lingered on Song Yan for a moment.

Then he spoke calmly: "Now that everyone is here, I will get straight to the point."

"The reason I have summoned you all here is that the rules for the selection process have been announced, and I am informing you of them now."

"I'll keep it short."

"A total of 160 cultivators participated in the selection, including 42 Foundation Establishment disciples from the previous generation."

“The two classes of disciples will be selected separately. Twenty disciples from the previous class will be selected, and thirty-six disciples from the younger generation will be selected to participate in the final competition.”

The younger generation of disciples were still at the Qi Refining stage when the quotas were initially allocated.

Many have now advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage.

It's somewhat unfair to select Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining students together.

But in reality, no one would think there's anything wrong with it.

We are all cultivators of the same generation. Others have established their immortal foundations, but I haven't, so I was already at a disadvantage.

In the world of cultivation, when you encounter a real battle, are you allowed to nitpick about your opponent's cultivation level?
Selecting disciples from the previous generation separately is already a great favor.

"The selection site is deep in the Dragon Pool Mountains, and the sealing formation should have already begun."

"Before the selection begins tomorrow, each person can choose a spirit talisman box."

"There are three types: Yin talisman, Yang talisman, and blank talisman."

"Taking the new generation of disciples as an example, there are thirty-six Yin and Yang talismans, and the rest are all blank talismans."

"Once you enter the selection area, only those who can collect both Yin and Yang talismans within a single day will be able to advance."

It looks complicated, but it's actually very simple. To put it bluntly, it's about ensuring that when the time is up, you have two talismans, one yin and one yang, on your person.

If you draw a Yang talisman, then try to steal a Yin talisman from someone else.

vice versa.

Those who draw a blank talisman need to obtain one of each.

"Apart from that, the only rule is to avoid using lethal force. There are no other rules."

Elder Zhang Guangyuan's introduction was brief, but those who could gather here were no ordinary people.

Many questions about the details remained unanswered, remaining only in my mind.

Everyone had their own thoughts, while Elder Zhang, as was his routine, offered a reminder to the disciples present.

"The Nine Meridians Grand Competition is neither a friendly exchange nor an internal sect test. It is watched by the thousands of cultivators of the Chu Kingdom from the outside world, and it concerns the reputation and foundation of the sect within the realm. We must do our utmost."

"Especially you few."

He turned his gaze to Xu Ziqing and the other four: "The core of the previous generation is the focus of everyone's attention."

"Yes, elder."

The meeting is adjourned; no further words are needed.

Everyone stood up in unison, bowed, and took their leave.

Song Yan deliberately walked slowly, as if waiting for someone.

"Senior Brother Lin."

"Oh, I don't deserve that. I should call you Senior Brother Song now."

Lin Qing walked at the back and greeted Song Yan with a smile when she saw him.

The two understood each other without saying a word and left the cave together.

"I never expected you to reach the Foundation Establishment stage so quickly."

Lin Qing congratulated him, but felt a pang of emotion in her heart.